How and What to Drink When You're Doing a Cleanse (Yes, We Mean Booze)

I may be a nutritionist, but it’s very rare for me to say “no, thank you” to a glass of wine or a well-made cocktail. Drinking is a pleasure–but, of course, it can be overdone. When January rolls around, many people stop drinking booze to try to detox from the holiday season. (My good friend Carla calls it “ginger-ale January.”) That doesn’t mean you have to quit cold turkey, and in fact, I wouldn’t.

Bon Appetit‘s two-week Food Lover’s Cleanse has slightly revised alcohol guidelines this year, allowing one to four drinks per week instead of no drinking at all. Our reasoning behind the adjustment from last year’s no-booze policy is fairly simple: We’re all about moderation, if it works for you. A good drink enhances a good meal, and it can be quite healthful at that (red wine is rich with antioxidant benefits, as are many beers).

After a raucous, booze-filled holiday season, most of our livers (and waistlines) could use a cleansing break. Lightening up on alcohol while emphasizing the rejuvenating and re-energizing qualities of tea, water and loads of fresh fruits and vegetables is an important part of the cleanse. But it may be counterproductive for you to cut out booze all together if it puts a negative spin on the schedule, making you want a drink more than normal just to spite the cleanse. Instead, we hope these two weeks encourage you to take stock of your eating (and drinking) habits, and hopefully make some lasting healthy changes while enjoying Sara’s dishes.

Now, about those one to four drinks. You may be wondering what they should be, in the name of health consciousness. Here’s my list:

Red wine: It’s nice and cozy for cold weather, high in antioxidants, and averages around 120 calories per 5-ounce glass.

Champagne: This is usually my pick when I’m out to dinner since it’s fun and lower in calories than most drinks (coming in around 85 calories per serving).

A drink on the rocks: If you’re a hard liquor lover, try going on the rocks (straight or with soda water). It’ll automatically slow you down while you sip the strong stuff, which means you’ll likely drink less. Most hard liquors all average about 100 calories per 1.5 ounces (a shot). So it’s really the mixer that make or break a drink. You can argue that darker liquors have more sugar content, but at the end of the day, just sip slowly on what you enjoy and you’ll keep calories in check automatically, whether it’s scotch, bourbon, or vodka.

Guinness: If you’re going to drink beer, look to a stout. Studies show it boasts heart-healthy antioxidant properties called flavonoids, similar to red wine, tea and dark chocolate. However, if beer tends to make you bloated however, steer clear so you can feel the full effect of the cleanse.